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Frasor's perfect debut 0:25

3/31/13: Jason Frasor collects one strikeout in a perfect 1-2-3 seventh inning in his debut with the Rangers

By T.R. Sullivan
/
MLB.com |

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers had a 5-0 lead going into the ninth on Saturday night. It was not a save situation, so manager Ron Washington used Jason Frasor instead of Joe Nathan. Washington did have Nathan warming up in case Frasor turned it into a save situation.

Instead, Frasor closed out the shutout. He walked one and struck out two.

"It doesn't matter what the score is, you never feel good when those guys cross the plate," Frasor said. "I wanted to finish it out. I know Joe Nathan was warming up, but I didn't want him coming in."

It was Frasor's sixth appearance for the Rangers, but he really hasn't established a role in the bullpen. The Rangers signed him as a free agent in the offseason to be a right-handed setup reliever, but most of those duties have gone to Tanner Scheppers.

Frasor doesn't have a hold yet, while Scheppers has three. A hold can be considered a contrived statistic, but it does mean Frasor has yet to be used in what is classified as a save situation.

"Some guys are big on roles," Frasor said. "I go in when they tell me to go in. I think they're still learning me too."

Frasor spent most of the past nine years with the Blue Jays, mainly as a setup reliever anywhere between the sixth and eighth innings.

"We're just trying to get Frasor out there and get him going," manager Ron Washington said. "Things will pick up for him."